Bale gets Wales call despite injury

Tottenham full-back Gareth Bale has been named in the Wales squad to face Bulgaria in a friendly next week but was immediately declared doubtful for the match in Bourgas by boss John Toshack.

Toshack is acutely aware that the 18-year-old is struggling with a hamstring injury and did not play for Spurs at Sunderland at the weekend.

But Toshack said: "I'm aware that he is a major doubt, but I can wait until the weekend to see how he recovers. Maybe Spurs would want him to have 45 minutes with us, but I can understand them being concerned."

Toshack, however, has not named Aston Villa's Mark Delaney in the squad with rumours that the right-back is about to announce his retirement due to a persistent knee problem.

Delaney had further surgery in the summer, and Toshack is aware that his most experienced defender is facing a tough decision.

Toshack said: "We are concerned for Mark, he last played for us 12 months ago and he is our most experienced defender. I just hope that things do turn out okay for him, but although we have spoken to Villa about him we are not getting quite as bad a feedback as some are suggesting."

The match in Bulgaria is Wales' build-up to the Euro 2008 double-header next month against Germany and Slovakia.